


Just Another Kid ( v. II )

by thecattydddy



Series: Just A Hero's Story [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Established Relationship, Genetically Engineered Beings, Multi, Scientifically Created Children, Superfamily, Superfamily (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-04-29 21:41:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14481774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecattydddy/pseuds/thecattydddy
Summary: Years into the future, a once solid team of Avengers has fallen apart, Captain Rogers is dead, Tony has buried himself in his sorrow, SHEILD has fallen and most of the team have gone their separate ways. After discovering just how far the scheme to keep him protected goes, Peter Parker finally finds out the identity of his real parents are actually famous super heroes and is reunited with his father. At first, they enjoy a nice little family life, but Peter has a responsibility he can't just run away from. When disaster strikes, will he be putting his new family at risk as well or will they gain something from the experience none of them thought could have been possible?Rewritten from a previous version of the same name





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, ya'll! Thanks for reading this fic! If you're interested in learning about the origin of it, you can pop over to the other version of this fic by the same name in the series. Otherwise, enjoy and please let me know any feedback you guys may have!

####  _ Sixteen Years Ago. _

Tony adjusted his tie, preparing to face the amassed crowd that he would be momentarily addressing. This technology he was working on was revolutionary and would mean  _ incredible  _ things for so many couples across the world. Even if his work was in tandem with SHIELD and all the suspicions that came with  _ that _ , Tony was beyond thrilled with the progress they’d made. Still, his thoughts kept coming back to the  _ why _ when it came to SHIELD’s involvement and refused to be distracted.

A hand settled on his shoulder and he glanced over at it, following the arm to a face. Blue eyes leveled a look at him, so perfect and clear, but with the tiniest touch of green in them that one could only get the chance to see when they were this close - The touch of green one could only see when they  _ knew him _ the way that Tony knew him. In this moment, those eyes looked concerned and his brow was furrowed downward in concern.

“What’s wrong?” He inquired, searching Tony’s expression as if expecting to find answers there. He wore his emotions so clearly on his face in a way that the genius could not; A claim made evident by the way he managed to brush all his worries away with a charming smirk.

“Why,  _ Darling _ ,” Tony teased, “Is that a hint of  _ concern _ in your voice? You wouldn’t happen to  _ care about me _ , would you?”

Steve simply looked a little less amused by the other’s walls going up. “Of course I care about you.”

Tony sputtered, his ears turning red and turning away from the other. “You’re not supposed to just  _ say that _ , Steve!”

“Why not? It’s true.” Steve turned him back to meet his gaze with a finger under his chin. There was so much genuinity in his look that it was - Even after all these years working beside the Captain and getting to know him as a teammate and as a friend -  _ far _ too overwhelming for Tony to face head on. “I want to help you, Tony.  _ Please _ .”

“It’s... It’s  _ nothing _ ,” Tony insisted, softly. “I just don’t trust SHIELD, that’s all. I’m doing something important here, but I am just expecting them to-”

“To use it for less ethical means,” Steve clarified, giving a nod in understanding. He, too, had seen the kinds of things that SHIELD tried to justify and couldn’t blame Tony for the paranoia that he’d exhibited in relation to it. The billionaire was often worried about a million things that he possibly didn’t need to be, a side effect of his trauma, but this one was not what Steve would consider to be in that category. Still, it wouldn’t do to let him work himself into a tizzy over something that was meant to be  _ good _ for them. “I understand where you’re coming from, Tony, but you have to focus on all the  _ positives _ you’re doing here. Your research is going to help couples who’d never the chance before be able to finally have children of their own - Not to mention the leaps that are being made in regenerative medical science thanks to your discoveries. We can deal with SHIELD’s bullshit when it comes; For now, let’s just celebrate  _ this _ .”

Tony couldn’t help but be a little touched by the blonde’s statement, knowing he was having his own words tossed back at him from a previous conversation they’d had about this, if not much more simplified in nature. “You were paying attention when I was talking about this.”

Steve simply chuckled. “Of course I was.”

Tony seemed like he wanted to say something else, wanted to add something, but he couldn’t really find the words. It as Steve that ended up restarting the conversation, glancing off to the middle distance with a fantasy in his eyes that Tony wished he could see. “Who knows - Maybe even you and I will end up making use of this technology, someday.”

Tony’s heart clenched a little at that,  _ wishing _ that Steve meant that in respective of them as a  _ couple _ , but knowing he probably meant it terms of them as  _ individuals _ . He wasn’t sure that he was cut out to be a father - Not with the haunting memory of Howard still chasing after him - but he couldn’t help thinking it would be  _ nice _ to see a baby with Steve’s wide, expressive eyes and his messy brown hair. He wasn’t really sure what they’d name the kid even if they  _ did _ have one. Steve might try to insist on James, after both of their best friends. Tony would think it was a good idea, but feel obligated to suggest Winter Machine or maybe Bodey. Steve would be very adamant that they are  _ not _ naming their son  _ either _ of those things. 

It was a sweet fantasy, one that brought with it a slight smile to Tony’s face, but an unlikely one none-the-less. He gave a nod in Steve’s direction. “Yeah... Maybe someday.”

“You better get out there,” Steve prompted, giving his shoulder one last squeeze before releasing him. “It’s time to let the world know about  _ Project Lucina _ .”

Tony sighed, shaking off his concerns and disappointment to put on his best presentation face. “Yeah, I better...”

As if on cue, the MC announced his arrival and a large applause broke out from the gathered crowd. He spared Steve one last look before marching himself out onto that stage. As soon as he was far enough onto it to be spotted, lights coming down to highlight his appearance, he threw his arms out in dramatic fashion and the cheers increased twofold in greeting. It was not an especially long walk over to the podium in the center of the stage and made his way there before raising a hand to settle everyone down. “Thank you, thank you... Thank you so much... How’s everyone doing tonight? Not  _ too _ bored, I hope - I will admit that while they were going over all the  _ technical _ babble out here even  _ I  _ was nodding off some in the back. Anyone else? Raise of hands?”

There was a collective laugh from the group and a few people raised their hands in continuation of the joke. Tony called them out, assuring them that he would do better at holding their attention. With the group better engaged and interested in what he had to say, Tony started in on his speech. “So... How many of you have kids? Little snot nosed brats, aren’t they? But you love ‘em! That’s just the nature of ‘em, yeah? Well, imagine a world where you had never had the choice to have them. Imagine a world where you were kept from the great and rewarding life of childrearing. For one-in-ten Americans in a same-sex relationship and one-in-eight couples struggling with infertility, this was a simple fact of life. All those little moments of joy and excitement you all experience through your children were denied them. Well, as of today, I am officially launching a project to end the barriers between those dreams and the reality of holding one’s own kids some day. I present to you...” He paused just a moment, adding to the excitement of the reveal with a dramatic gesture towards the screen hanging behind him which suddenly lit up as if on cue. “... _ Project Lucina _ !”

More applause and he let them take a moment to take it all in. This project was going to change lives - For the better - and he could see the interest sparking through the crowd at his presentation. He wondered how many of them would benefit from this particular invention? How much  _ better _ he was making the world now that he was investing his brain in  _ people _ instead of  _ weapons _ . 

“Already, we’ve got a couple that has agreed to donate their DNA to this process where we will be making our first ever genetically constructed child using nothing but samples of their DNA,” Tony held a hand out in the direction of the stage he’d come from, as if to draw everyone’s attention to them. “And they’ve agreed to come and make an appearance for you, now!”

As he said this, a couple could be seen just beyond the view of the gathered audience. A young man and women, both of whom worked as Agents for SHIELD. They were a skilled team, known for doing the  _ unknown _ and  _ undiscussed _ for the organization. He’d been suspicious of them at first, believing them to be much like the other agents he had the occasional interaction with - Fellow Avengers half-excluded - but they’d been surprisingly  _ pleasant _ and he’d quickly learned they both were very  _ genuine _ in their investment in this project. For reasons that she had not felt comfortable giving and Tony hadn’t felt the need to press, the young woman of the two of them had lost her ability to have children in the field. She’d come to terms with the reality of it years ago, having long since built her identity beyond such a simple fact of biology, but when this opportunity had presented itself all this time later, she’d been  _ fascinated _ at having the option restored to her.

Tony had just been glad that he could even  _ offer it _ . “Everyone please give a warm welcome to Mr. and Mrs-”


	2. Chapter 2

####  _Now._

“ _PARKER_!”

He cursed under his breath, picking up his pace as he headed down the hallways towards the exit. That was the voice that belonged to none other than Flash Thompson and Peter was grateful that this was likely the last time he’d have to hear the sound of it for the next couple months. This year had been rough so far, with the guy really taking it out on him at seemingly every opportunity, and the teenager had never been so _thankful_ for the coming of summer as he was in this moment.

But still, he wasn’t out _quite_ yet and the need to book it became ever present as Flash’s yells after him were heard down the hall. Truthfully, if Flash came at him he would have no difficulty turning the guy on his ass, but he couldn’t let people _know that_ . Peter Parker had a reputation for being pretty weak and nerdy and it would cause alarm if he was all of a sudden able to do great feats of strength like that. As much as he might have _liked_ to do that, the possibility of revealing his alternate identity would just be too great for such a risk.

That alternate identity was, of course, _Spider-Man_ . A web-slinging badass whom all the ladies went wild for and all the baddies turned tail and hid from. Well... Maybe he was exaggerating that _a little_ , but still. He’d been going at this whole _superhero_ gig for about a year, now, and had gained quite a following. Even Flash, the pain in his side that he was, found himself with a lowkey man crush on the dude. It would have been awesome, if only that sentiment had followed him into his day-to-day as well.

Speaking of Flash, the kid was nearly catching up with him at this point. Peter had managed to shove his way through the front door and spotted the buses getting ready to pull out of the lot. The closest one was about to close up and move on out, but he darted in that direction with the hopes for his loosely constructed plan succeeding. With help from his abilities, giving him that extra boost of stamina he needed, he managed to reach the door just as it slid shut behind him. The driver gave him a nasty look and he returned it with something sheepish, but she just told him to go get a seat and started pulling them out of the school lot. Just as he managed to find an open spot, the figure of Flash was just catching up with him and spotted Peter in the window of the retreating bus. He was shouting at the teen, but whatever was being said was drowned out by the sound of all the teachers of the school and his fellow classmates wishing them farewell. A few water guns were squirted their direction as the buses passed by and Peter had to duck away from the window to avoid getting a faceful of it. Taking a seat, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and turned to address it.

Osborn To Be Wild:  
  
↪ Yo, Pete. You busy?  
  


Peter quirked an eyebrow at the text, having not expected to receive a message from him. Harold Osborn, better known to him and their mutual friends as _Harry_ , was the CEO of Oscorp and one of Peter’s closest companions. They’d been through so much together this past year - Hurt, betrayal, loss. It was a wonder sometimes how they’d managed to work through everything that had been thrown their way. Harry was still a concern at times, the fear of the return of _The Goblin_ ever present in both their minds, but his recovery had been going well and Peter could only hope that those were memories long since left behind them.

Osborn To Be Wild:  
  
↪ You should come visit me at Oscorp.  
  
↪ It’s about the sample you left.  
  


This proved even more confusing to the webslinger. He’d left a sample of his own blood alongside some DNA he’d managed to get ahold of from his father’s things to be processed at Oscorp a few weeks ago. His initial intentions had been to have the two compared to try and see how the spiderbite might have affected his DNA. Harry had mentioned something about isolating the individual traits in his newly altered DNA and working to try and figure out ways to use that to _help people_ . His accelerated healing and thicker skin was certainly something people could certainly make use of. He’d been scared once about sharing these secrets, worried for what people might do to get ahold of his abilities like that, but it was much _easier_ to trust his friend with these things now that they were on the same page.

He quickly sent back a text in return, intending to do just that.

Osborn To Be Wild:  
  
sure harry ↩  
  
wats up? ↩  
  
↪ It’s best if I tell you when you get here.  
  


 

* * *

 

Peter had always known there was _something_ weird about him. At first, it'd been simple things. He almost never experienced sickness, even at very early stages in his life when such a thing would have been expected. If that hadn't been enough to set off alarms, he found himself unusually strong for his size. Had he been a fighter – Or even had a basic interest in the various sports teams that his school offered – there could have been potential there for someone with a lot more bang for his buck.

He distinctly remembered a time in middle school when him, Harry and a few of their other friends had busted into his father’s liquor cabinet one afternoon for shits and giggles and, at least on the host’s part, to get back at Norman for being gone, _yet again_ . Harry had gone early and most of the others in attendance were not too slow to follow, but Peter hadn’t been able to reach that state no matter _how much_ he drank. Hell, he barely felt _light headed_. He’d known that talking to his aunt and uncle about it when he went home the next morning had been out of the question - They’d have had his hide for such a stupid stunt - so he’d been given no option but to brush it off.

Those things had been peculiar once, but when one is twelve, they don’t usually question their experiences as being _weird_ unless someone else comments on it and none of those little oddities had stood out enough to draw attention - Especially not compared to what happened to him in the summer right before his freshman year in high school.

Suddenly, from the day he’d snuck into that tour group while waiting for Harry onward, Peter had gained  _powers_ ; _Real ones_ . His days of inquiring about a lack of sickness were _over_ and the reality of _why the hell can I climb walls and sense danger_ came to take its place. And then, when _that_ hadn’t been enough, he’d learned a _hell_ of a story about his parents and their involvement in the project that’d resulted in his spider powers.

As he stared at these results before him, spread out across the table like they lived there, he could feel his throat closing up. He’d been so sure that he’d just _closed_ this case. That he’d just _discovered_ the layers to this story.

“I know how this looks,” Harry said, leaning on the table to his left and moving aside a page to look at the one beneath it. “But... Maybe it has to do with your… _Condition_ , Pete. Maybe things got changed around and-”

“That would make sense, wouldn’t it?” Peter huffed, cutting his friend short and earning himself a concerned look. He ignored it. He was back at square one on his parents, with no information to go on, but he did know at least one thing - This story had been _planted_ . It’d been shaped _for him_ like a _personalized reality_ . Whoever he was, wherever he’d come from, it was so important that being _Spider-Man_ didn’t compare in terms of the risk it put him in. “It’s just... It all fits so _perfectly_ , doesn’t it? Almost as if-”

“Pete...”

Harry’s words were tilted with concern and he settled a hand on the other’s shoulder to pull him back from wherever his thoughts were taking him. He took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. “I know, Harry... I _know_.”

He leaned back in his seat and slid his hand through his bangs in exasperation. “I just... Can’t think of who my parents could _be_ , if not the Parkers... Clearly, they have to be important if not even my _vigilantism_ is enough to tell me the truth.”

“Peter… Maybe there's a reason that they did all of this,” Harry sat down on a nearby chair as well, leaning towards him a bit. “With everything that's happened in the last few years. The number of bad guys that show up have only increased in difficulty. The death of…”

The sentence trailed off, both of them taking a moment in the silence that followed after to mourn a lost hero. There were few that didn’t when the topic of the Captain came up. His death had been a loss felt across the country and, quite frankly, across the world. He’d been an icon, an _ideal_ , and many had feared the things he had _represented_ had died with him.

Of course, none of them were hit nearly as hard as his partner had been. The posterboy had finally gotten together with Tony years ago, before he’d even been born and he’d _grown up_ with them being the true power couple in the public eye. Their happiness had been what he’d liked to imagine his _own_ parents had been like, once upon a time.

Parents that apparently weren’t even real, so he was discovering.

“Anyways,” Harry continued, once the moment had passed, “It's a lot going on and maybe it's not safe to pursue this. At least not right now.”

Peter gave a somewhat bitter chuckle in reply. “It’s not like this is _new_. We’ve both had it coming at us for a while now, Harry.”

The other gave a shrug, having very little to contest _that_ with. Peter was certainly _correct_ . “I suppose so.” He gave something of a sad smile and Peter returned it with one of his own. He was grateful, at least, that _Harry_ was real. He couldn’t imagine where he’d be if _that_ had turned out to be a ruse as well.

Peter scooted his chair away from the table, rolling over towards one of the nearby windows and looking out over the city. It was bustling, as New York always was, but one could barely tell from his height. The pedestrians below all looked like specs from where he was. A bird flew a few feet above them and blocked a good portion of the street he’d been observing. “Well, whoever they are, I hope that my parents are at least doing something _good_ , right now.”

“I’m sure they’re heroes, Pete.”

There was an unsaid _unlike my father_ that was tacked on the end of that and Peter felt himself tense at it. Norman Osborn had been many things in his time and Peter had even once thought of him as something of a psuedo-father when he’d been younger, but _a hero_ had never really been among those descriptors.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Peter gave a much more amused scoff and spared an amused glance in his friend’s direction. “What? Like _Iron Man_?”

“ _No_ , Peter,” Harry quipped back, rolling his eyes but clearly _thankful_ for the distraction. “I don’t think your father is going to turn out to be your _man-crush_.”

“He’s not my _man crush!_ ”

A few floors below their bantering, a young woman excused herself from her desk to run a quick errand. A fellow coworker - _George, 25, Financing_ \- called out to her inquiring if she was intending to meet with some cute boys. She laughed and waved away such a thought with the assurance that he was the only cute boy she was planning to meet today. He returned the line with another laugh of his own and went back to his work without further bothering her. She made her exit then, the badge at her hip - _Rosalia, 22, Communications_ \- swinging against her leg as she did so.

She glanced over her shoulder before entering into the women's room. It was deserted when she found herself within and she wasted no time in activating her earpiece and speaking into it.

“This is Agent Blake, reporting on an update on Project Changling.”

A voice crackled back to her, sounding confused. “Who is this?”

“Agent Blake,” she repeated, a little more sternly. “I have news on Project Changling.”

The voice in return seemed irritated at this point, “Ma’am we have no project under that name. If this is some kind of-”

“What do you _mean_ , you have no project under that name?” She demanded, “This operation has been running for nearly fifteen years now.”

“All projects prior to the Infiltration Incident in Washington have been completely wiped.”

She had been aware of the incident which he spoke of, of course she was, but that hadn’t seemed to _matter_ to her bosses when questioned about carrying on their current work. They’d insisted that all unsavory operatives would be dealt with and that the project would carry on with or without SHIELD to back it. Apparently, this individual had not gotten the same message.

“Patch me through to someone higher up.”

“Ma’am I don’t have the autho-” There was static for a moment, the voice seemingly cutting out and she spent that time wondering if perhaps her connection was bad, when suddenly a new voice broke in and interrupted her concerns.

“Agent Blake,” he said, his tone friendly but demanding respect. “I must apologize on behalf of Agent Daniels; He is new here. This is Agent Coulson. What is your update?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I've decided to split this chapter in the original into two parts for _the drama_. The next installment when I get to it will be a continuation of this scene, for those of you wondering what I'm planning on doing with any missing information from the older version. Just keep your eyes out for that next update and remember that feedback is always welcome and appreciated!

Phil Coulson adjusted his tie, waiting for the elevator to reach the floor he was trying to get to while humming to the elevator music that greeted him. He knew that the AI that ran through the building had put it on to spite him - One last  _ fuck you _ in response to the fact he couldn’t stop the agent from getting into the residence - but he was content to just enjoy the momentary calm it brought instead of giving in to the AI’s attempts at pettiness.

When he’d received a notice a few days ago from one of the agents in the field involving Project Changling, he’d been surprised first and foremost. Back when the operation had first been proposed, there’d been  _ controversy _ over it. Creating the kid in the first place had been questionable, customizing his DNA to make him at least  _ somewhat _ manageable even with his two parents taken into account, but hiding his lineage from both the boy and his parents had seemed  _ especially _ cruel at the time.

Looking back, Phil could chalk it up to HYDRA and their infiltration into the ranks of SHIELD, but once the damage is done not  _ all _ operations could so easily be removed without repercussions. Peter and kids like him - Those who’d been  _ misplaced _ in the wake of closing Project Lucina - they had grown  _ accustomed _ to the lives they lived with their families and it would not be beneficial to  _ anyone _ to let these children get lost to the system. No, instead Coulson had  _ personally _ taken on the task of vetting the agents involved in these projects; HYDRA agents were sniffed out and eliminated. A couple kids were lost, some more concerning than others, but ultimately they’d  _ preserved _ more of those little bubbles of happiness than they’d  _ interrupted _ . 

No one couldn’t say that the new SHIELD hadn’t tried their  _ best _ .

Peter, had been an  _ interesting _ case, however. Certainly not the most powerful, but among the most  _ important _ of the subjects. Coulson could still remember when Director Fury had slid the paperwork across his desk regarding the boy.

_ “What’s this?” Phil had inquired, flipping through the pages with curiosity. The neat text that read  _ **_Project Lucina_ ** _ near the top of the page alerted Phil to the seriousness of this particular document, but he still didn’t understand the relevance of it. _

_ “A little side project I want you to keep an eye on,” Nick replied, his voice taking that certain gruffness to it that it always had. “We all know the way you respect the Captain, and your personal regard for a few of the other Avengers, so I knew that you would be able to keep everyone working with this one  _ **_honest_ ** _.” _

_ “Captain Rogers?” Phil clarified, his voice raising in pitch a little in embarrassment. He coughed, forcing it back into a more normal octave when Nick raised an eyebrow in his direction. “What does this have to do with him and the others, Sir?” _

_ “Read the damn thing and you’ll be able to figure that out,” Fury answered, irritation in his voice but Phil just brushed that up to his boss’ usual bubbly personality. “And keep in mind that this is  _ **_strictly_ ** _ to stay between us. We don’t even know if this is gonna  _ **_work_ ** _ and there’s no use getting anyone’s hopes up if it’s not necessary.” _

The elevator stopped and Phil looked up to see that it had finally reached his floor. As the door slid open, he was greeted with the sight of Tony with his head tilted upward and arguing with the home’s security system that he’d evaded fairly easily.

“JARVIS, I thought I told you to keep people out!”

“I am sorry, Sir, but they overrode my systems.”

To his right stood the good Doctor Banner, looking equal parts anxious and concerned. Phil couldn’t blame the man really - Not with how completely deprived his companion’s state made him seem. Tony was a mess in every sense of the word and the various glasses strewn across his workspace only furthered the slight touch of disappointment he had at that. Whether he liked it or not, Tony and SHIELD were far more interconnected than either would particularly enjoy. They were like rival brothers, constantly at odds with each other, but brothers none-the-less. Every agents was responsible for the upkeep of the organization, but they were also somewhat responsible for keeping an eye on Howard Stark’s only son - If not for his father’s sake, then for the sake of SHIELD’s other founder who had made the organization in the first place to provide a better future for her psuedo-nephew and kids just like him.  
  
“Well, then who the fuck is it?”  
  
“Hello, Stark. Banner.” This was a good a time as any to make his appearance and Phil stepped out of the elevator, drawing the attention of the rooms occupants. Tony, who’d already seemed pretty unhappy about the situation before, let out a low groan in utter disgust. Banner seemed equal parts relieved that it was just Phil and further suspicious now that the agent was making an appearance out of the blue.

Tony turned to the man, teeth grinding and doing nothing to hide his annoyance. “Agent.”

“Hello, Coulson.”

“What the fuck do you want?” The genius interjected as soon as Phil went to speak, cutting him short of doing so. It was no secret to him that he didn’t like people making uninvited appearances in his workshop, especially when those appearances were in conjunction with  SHIELD, but this was an important matter.

“I’ve come bearing news,” Phil replied,  his smile polite and unchanging despite Tony’s open hostility. “Something that I think you’re going to want to hear.”

“I really don’t want to hear anything from you.” Tony gave a mock smile as an answer to the one sent his way, his back turning to Phil as if to dismiss him. “Especially since that  _ new _ is probably some kind of  _ mission _ for your little club and I’m pretty sure I’ve made it clear that I’m not  _ interested _ in doing anything for you. If there is any confusion, feel free to refer to the hundreds of other messages I’ve ignored.”

Tony moved to his work space, pulling up a random schematic and messing around with the holographic projection that popped up. Phil knew this was simply his attempt to direct the conversation away from the serious topic they were having, but the agent powered through. 

“This is one you’re going to be interested in,” Phil assured him. He gained something of a satisfied smirk when Tony turned to him with suspicion. A small chip of information was produced for the billionaire and Tony simple gave him a look that said something along the lines of  _ Are you kidding me? _ . “Go ahead, Stark.”

“I’m not going to be your  _ lapdog _ .” Tony pressed his lips into a thin line. Even still, despite his words, Phil could see his curiosity fighting against him. “I think I’ve  _ more _ than earned my retirement at this point.” 

Tony’s contributions to SHIELD were numerous and probably would have been even greater had he had the access to some of the toys sitting in their warehouses, but they both know that that is not what he is referring to when he says this. For a moment, Phil is struck with sympathy for the billionaire and the losses he’s suffered; For the losses they’ve  _ all _ suffered.

“You’re going to want to look at this,” Phil answers, his voice softer and more gentle than he’s usually known to be. “For Captain Rogers’ sake.”

This, unsurprisingly, causes a flare of  _ anger _ to pass over the billionaire and Banner - Having been keeping to himself to avoid drawing attention until now - takes a step forward is if to hold the other back. Phil is worried for a moment Tony is going to try and attack him as well, but he simply swipes the chip and inserts it into the nearest port to access the data on it.

The schematic he was working on his discarded as new files and pictures take its place. Tony’s eyes scan over this, as if looking for  _ anything _ that could justify pushing him over the edge, but rage simply turns to  _ confusion _ at what it is he’s looking at. His shoulders lose some of their tension and he doesn’t even bother turning back to Phil when he asks, “What... What  _ is this _ ?”

“Congratulations, Stark,” Phil stated, his voice monotone and leaving no room for a misinterpretation. “You’re a father.”


	4. Chapter 4

Tony simply open his mouth at that, trying to come up with something to say, but ended up just closing his mouth and repeating the process like a fish out of water. After two or three attempts and getting no farther than a choked noise, Bruce finally felt it necessary to interject.

“It’s awfully strange that you’re bringing this to light  _ now _ ,” he noted, his tone curious and amazingly devoid of any accusation. Most people that met Dr. Banner were fascinated by the way he could make a criticism sound like an intellectual observation of the human nature and Coulson was definitely among them. It was unfortunate for the man that he could see right through the ruse else he may have fallen into it. “What has changed that you’re so keen to reunite them now?”

“The boy, actually. He’s started stumbling upon things.” Coulson stepped a little closer, his hand coming up to bring one of the pictures of the boy in question to the forefront of the files. He was young, certainly not beyond his highschool years. A sweep of goofy brown hair and that shade of brown in his eyes that seemed to have the boy’s whole history etched into them; That was Tony. He could see himself - A young, happier,  _ less broken _ version of himself - staring back at him in them. But that wasn’t all that was there... The way those eyes seemed to be shaped into large expressive circles or the way that all his features seemed to shift to emphasis the half-smile hinting on the corner of his lips. Something caught in his throat at how easily he could see them moving through fond disapproval or adoring exhaustion. “Nothing concrete, yet, but we would like to get ahead of the curve. Having  _ control _ over the situation will ensure that his acquisition of this information will be  _ smooth _ .”

“Heh. So that’s your angle, huh?” Tony snarked, his nose crinkling to contrast the sarcastic smile taking to his lips. “Your  _ control _ is being threatened and you want me involved to... What?  _ Put him back in his place _ ?”

“Your cooperation with us would be ideal,” Coulson stated, simply. “Unfortunately, he has shown to be quite drawn to reckless behavior and we’re concerned about the kinds of things he may get himself into if we are not careful.”

“Kid is starting to sound more like mine by the second,” Tony said, arms crossed over his chest. “What kinda reckless behavior are we talking about here? Staying out past his curfew? Blowing up the science lab? Doing your paper on complex molecular physics theories just so you can make a joke about your professor’s dick size? Gimme some ideas.”

“No.” Coulson narrowed his eyes, annoyed. “He takes more after his other father.”

Tony’s grin turned a little more smug at that. “Oh, so he openly disobeys his superior’s orders and single handedly dismantles government organizations, then? Excellent.”

“ _ Our concern _ ,” Coulson continued, gritting his teeth, “Is that if we try to do this without your help in the matter, he may get himself into a situation that he cannot get out of. He’s still only a  _ boy _ , remember, and he’s not likely to trust an unknown organization to have his best interest in mind.”

“Smart kid,” Tony replied. Still, even as much as he hated working alongside SHIELD, he had to admit they had a fairly decent point. If this boy really was as prone to danger as his fathers were, then he would need someone to keep him from teetering off the deep end the way they and their friends had done for each other. 

Besides, there was another reason he needed to step in in this instance.

He hated to admit it, but the resemblance between himself and Steve was  _ uncanny _ and if there was anything left of his late husband - Even just the tiniest  _ smidge _ of a inkling - then he wanted to get ahold of that. Even if this kid was a fake, planted by SHIELD to play on his vulnerabilities, he would have to play along for just a little bit to get the truth out of him.

“You should take some time to think about it,” Coulson advised, watching Tony turn to the projected files and shuffle through them in consideration. “We don’t need an answer  _ right now _ , but be warned that the longer you take to come onboard the greater the risk is of him doing something dangerous.”

“Thanks for the reminder, Agent,” Tony returned, sarcastically, “I’ll be sure to keep that in mind. Now, if you’d like to show yourself out, that would be literally the best thing that ever happened to me bar you ceasing communication all together.”

“Afternoon, Stark.” Coulson showed himself out, leaving the genius with his thoughts. Bruce came up beside him, rubbing his chin as they both read over the documents at their disposal. 

“What do you think, Brucie? Is this a stupid idea or what?”

“Well...” Bruce reached out and brought a DNA sequence forward, clicking different parts of it to show their comparison to the supposed parental sources. “Regardless of whether or not he’s telling the truth, there’s some kid that they’ve managed to pull into their scheme. It seems like it would be the right thing to do to get him as far away from SHIELD as strictly possible.”

“Yeah. I guess you’re right.” Tony brought the kid’s face back to the front, looking at it as if he somehow was meant to detect the boy’s life story simply from his phenotype alone. “It’s probably what Steve would have said as well.”

There was a silence there for a moment where Bruce wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to say and Tony let the negatives take hold over just long enough to leave a black mark on him. After a moment he looked away, seeking out a bottle that was not quite empty just yet. He managed to spot one and reached out to get ahold of it as a question came to him and he asked, “So, what’s the kid’s name, again?”

Bruce adjusted his glasses to better read the answer. “Uh... Peter Parker.”

The sound of glass shattering startled Bruce away from the projection, followed shortly after by Tony expressing some profanity to no one in particular. Bruce pushed the glasses up onto his forehead and headed in the direction of his friend’s distress to check on him. “Tony? Are you alright in there?”


	5. Chapter 5

“Not really, no.”

It wasn’t a lie, persay. Peter wasn’t exactly feeling well in the moment. Unfortunately, when his Aunt May had asked him this question, she had meant more in a physical sense. His current ailment, instead, was a little more  _ emotional _ in nature.

“Oh? Come here lemme feel your forehead,” she had insisted, moving across the room to place the back of her hand against his skin, the other hand coming up to pet his hair in a soothing manner. It was comforting, as it always was, and he couldn’t bring himself to be quite as upset when she did this. “You don’t feel ill, but you should still sit down. I’ll make you some chicken noodle soup and if you’re not feeling better after that then I’m going to insist that you get some rest.”

Before he could get much word in edgewise, she was ushering him elsewhere in the house and pushing him into one of the chairs arranged neatly around the kitchen table. He sat obediently at the table and just watched her work for a few moments as she danced about the kitchen with an ease and familiarity that he had been fond of watching ever since he was little. It was the kind of dance that he liked to think he had when he was in his own element, swinging about the boroughs of New York as the Spider-Man. 

After a while, she began to hum to herself as she worked and Peter recognized the tune as the one she usually reverted to when immersed in her work. It’d almost surprised him when she suddenly stopped, giving him a curious look over the chicken she’d been cutting up into slices for him. “Peter, honey, I can tell something is on your mind.”

The teen gave her a slight smile, amused by the fact she could read him so well. It shouldn’t have surprised him, since she’d been able to do so for as long as he could remember, but still it never failed to strike him how  _ lucky _ he was to have her. Maybe that was the reason he was so hesitant to press now, lest it come off as him  _ dismissing _ her and everything she’d done for him. For all that he wanted the truth, Peter  _ loved _ his Aunt May and wouldn’t ask for anything at her expense.

Still, she had been fairly understanding when he’d inquired of his origins before, if not entirely  _ honest _ . He sighed, working up his courage, and finally managed to say his piece. “Aunt May, what do you know about my parents?”

Her hands freezes a moment and Peter almost tries to retract the question, but now that it was said his eagerness for the information outweighs his concerns. Her expression grows a touch sad as she begins to move again, the gentle click of her tool against the cutting board filling the empty air before she brings herself to speak. “The Director said you  _ might _ start asking about that, again.”

Peter furrowed his brow, confusion evident on his face at this. She takes another glance in his direction, pushing a reassuring smile onto her lips, but he can see the emotion still evident in her eyes. “I had been hoping they would leave you alone at least until you were eighteen, but we aren’t always so lucky to have that luxury.”

Confused and clearly missing crucial information in her rant, Peter just continued to stare. She gave a soft chuckle at his confusion, reeling back a bit to catch him up. “Let me start over; I know quite a bit about your parents, Peter. Or rather, I know about who they are  _ not _ .”

“The Parkers?” The boy clarified, earning himself a nod from the woman in question. 

“I never actually met them, myself,” she explained, moving on from the chicken to pulling out some celery and begin chopping that into pieces as well. “I heard they were quite extraordinary individuals, however. Some of SHIELD’s best agents. They were the face of the same program which you had come from.”

“Program?” Peter repeated.

“Yes, program,” May confirmed. She brushed the celery bits in a little pile and then into a neat line before dicing them into even smaller pieces. “I was not given the full details; Hell, they really just handed me a baby and told me you didn’t have anyone to care for you. I didn’t need much more than that as far as convincing went.”

“Who is  _ they _ ?” Peter asked, leaning further forward in interest. “SHIELD?”

“Yes,” May confirmed, sweeping the celery into a bowl. “In theory, I work for them but I’ve hardly had to answer them in years. I was rather surprised when the Director called me the other afternoon. I wasn’t even certain they were still around.”

“Because of they were dismantled a couple years ago?”

“Yes, because of that.”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Peter held up his hands to halt the conversation, “Is this why we always could afford this place even though you’ve never had to get a job?”

May chuckled, dumping the vegetables she’d sliced into the pot simmering on the stovetop. “You could say that. Technically,  _ this _ was my job, but like I said I really haven’t thought about it like that in years. You’re really just my boy now, Peter, and I could really care less what they have to say on the matter.”

Peter smiled a bit at that, amused at how easily his Aunt May could tell off anyone like that; Even the US government was not beyond her scorn if they did something she didn’t agree with. It was a trait of hers he’d been incredibly inspired by as a kid, but he also knew the power of her disappointment. It was nothing to laugh about and whoever this  _ Director _ guy was she was talking about, he hoped the man was doing everything in accordance to her ideas of right and wrong - For  _ his _ sake.

Of course, as Peter came to the realization that May worked for SHIELD, there was another who came to his mind and the amusement peeled off his face like paint. He swallowed heavily. “What about...?”

May seemed to pick up what he was saying, understanding it even as he trailed off. She paused a moment in her work, leaning on the countertop with a distant look in her eye. “Your Uncle Ben? Yes, we were partners; Both in the field  _ and _ in the legal sense. We’d never been able to have kids when we were younger, too busy with our jobs, and then it’d just begun to feel like it was  _ too late _ . You were a sign for us, Peter. A sign that the idea of the happy little house and a happy little family wasn’t as outrageous as it had seemed. He had loved you like a son just as much as I had... I just wish he could have been here to see you, now. He’d be so proud of the young man you’d grown up to be.”

Peter looked down at the table, his chest tight in grief but touched nonetheless by her words. There was another moment’s silence before the teen finally asked. “So... Who  _ are _ my parents then?”

“I don’t know,” May admitted, somberly. “I was informed that they were very high profile individuals at the time. That was why they didn’t want to give me any names; To avoid any preconceived ideas about them that I may have had towards you as a result. I’m not certain the situation in which you were placed in my care, but I have to imagine it was for your protection.”

“So are they...” Peter hesitated, not sure if he was willing to hear the answer to this particular question. “...alive still?”

“Of course. That’s why I’m  _ telling  _ you this.” May checked on the pot and, deciding its contents had been cooking long enough, dumped in the chicken and noodles as well. She stirred them around a bit to evenly spread them about the pot. “I mentioned that I got a call; It seems that your father has expressed interest in your  _ return _ .”

Peter’s eyes widened at this, not quite sure how to process this information. On one hand, he was finally -  _ Finally _ \- going to meet his parents. He would know the people and circumstances he’d come from after all this time looking. On the other... “What about you?”

“I’ll be relieved of duty,” she answered, a certain level of  _ professionalism _ in her tone when she said this. As if aware of the sudden dread that filled him with, she quickly added in her more casual voice. “But that is only if you  _ want _ to go back to him as well, Peter. And, even if you  _ do _ decide to go that route, I’ve already told you that you’re not just an  _ assignment _ to me. You are my boy. I will still be here for you whenever you need me, you just won't be  _ living _ with me anymore.”

This was certainly comforting, but still Peter wasn’t quite sure what he wanted. Even if May would be around in spirit, the drastic change from everything he’d ever known and loved to living with a complete  _ stranger _ that he knew nothing about? That was a lot to ask of him so suddenly. “I... I don’t know what I want, yet.”

She smiled, softly, in understanding. “That is alright, sweetheart. You have plenty of time to decide. Right now, why don’t we focus on getting you this soup and then we’ll go watch something together? Anything you like.”

Peter nodded his agreement to this plan, relieved to have the pressure taken off of him even if that relief was only temporary. “We should watch something really old... Like _Aliens_! That movie is  _ ancient _ .”

Aunt May simply laughed at this, disbelief heavy in her tone. “You be careful, young man! That movie really isn’t as old as you think.”


End file.
